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Sonics Go Boom Houston Conquers Seattle At Long Last

Associated Press

Charles Barkley was tired of hearing about Seattle’s winning streak over the Houston Rockets. He won’t have to anymore.

Barkley scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, hauled down 15 rebounds and had six assists in Houston’s 109-100 victory Saturday night that ended the Rockets’ 13-game losing streak to Seattle.

“I’m was tired of hearing about this streak,” Barkley said. “This is a different team now. I’m 1-0 against them.”

The Rockets beat Seattle for the first time since March 10, 1994. Seattle had beaten Houston nine straight times in the regular season and four times in the playoffs.

The Rockets are 7-0 against Western Conference foes on the road this season. That is right in line with Houston’s goals this season.

“They’re (Seattle) the best team in the West until someone beats them. Our goal is to be the best in the world,” Barkley said.

The Sonics lost a third straight, their first three-game losing streak since Nov. 15-18, 1994, when they dropped consecutive road games to New Jersey, Boston and Indiana.

Sonics coach George Karl is concerned with the way his team is playing. “There’s no spark. There’s no pizzaz,” he said.

Even though the Sonics started 14-3, several players said Seattle hasn’t played well all season.

“We are not moving the ball, and that hurts us offensively,” Detlef Schrempf said. “When we won, we beat teams we were supposed to beat.”

Schrempf, who averages 17 a game, scored nine on 2-for-8 shooting. Seattle led only once against the Rockets (20-2), who have the NBA’s best record.

Shawn Kemp had another strong game with 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting and 10 rebounds. Gary Payton added 16 on 6-for-16 shooting. The Rockets’ defense kept the Sonics in check most of the game.

They held Payton to two points in the first half. Then they zeroed in on Kemp. After making 9 of 10 in the first half, Kemp was 2 for 8 in the second half.

The Sonics lost their second straight home game, dropping to 6-4 at KeyArena this season. In 1995-96, they lost only three home games during the regular season.

The Sonics used Kemp on Hakeem Olajuwon and with double-team help, Olajuwon was held to nine points on 4-for-8 shooting.

But the Sonics paid a big price as the Rockets shot 12 for 25 from 3-point range. Barkley had his way in matchups against Jim McIlvaine and Sam Perkins, drawing McIlvaine outside and driving past him on the baseline, or muscling inside against the taller Perkins.

Before the game, the Sonics placed co-captain Nate McMillan on the injured list. He suffered a torn muscle in his right thigh Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Rockets 109, SuperSonics 100 FG FT Reb HOUSTON Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Barkley 41 8-17 9-17 5-15 6 3 26 Elie 30 3-6 2-2 0-2 4 6 10 Olajuwon 37 4-8 1-2 4-10 3 5 9 Drexler 41 7-13 6-6 2-4 4 4 23 Maloney 32 4-7 2-4 0-2 2 1 14 Willis 18 5-10 3-4 1-4 0 2 13 Livingston 17 2-2 2-2 1-2 2 0 6 Bullard 22 3-5 0-0 0-0 3 2 8 Moore 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 Totals 240 36-68 25-37 13-39 24 25 109 Percentages: FG .529, FT .676. 3-Point Goals: 12-25, .480 (Maloney 4-6, Drexler 3-7, Bullard 2-3, Elie 2-4, Barkley 1-5). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 4 (Drexler 2, Olajuwon, Bullard). Turnovers: 17 (Olajuwon 5, Elie 3, Barkley 2, Maloney 2, Drexler, Willis, Livingston, Bullard, Moore). Steals: 10 (Drexler 3, Olajuwon 2, Elie 2, Maloney, Willis, Livingston). Technical fouls: Willis, 9:27 second; Elie, 2:14 second. Illegal defense: 1. FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 42 11-18 6-8 4-10 4 1 28 Schrempf 33 2-8 4-5 2-4 4 5 9 McIlvaine 25 3-7 1-2 5-8 2 5 7 Hawkins 35 3-8 5-5 0-3 2 2 12 Payton 42 6-16 4-6 1-2 5 4 16 Perkins 26 5-10 2-2 1-5 2 3 14 Snow 19 2-3 1-2 1-2 3 3 6 Ehlo 17 3-7 0-0 1-3 0 1 8 Scheffler 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Totals 240 35-77 23-30 15-37 22 24 100 Percentages: FG .455, FT .767. 3-Point Goals: 7-20, .350 (Perkins 2-4, Ehlo 2-4, Snow 1-1, Schrempf 1-2, Hawkins 1-4, Kemp 0-1, Payton 0-4). Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked shots: 5 (Kemp 4, McIlvaine). Turnovers: 16 (Kemp 5, Schrempf 3, Hawkins 3, McIlvaine, Payton, Perkins, Snow, Ehlo). Steals: 10 (Perkins 3, Hawkins 2, Kemp, McIlvaine, Payton, Snow, Ehlo). Technical fouls: Schrempf, 10:49 third; illegal defense, 6:55 fourth. Illegal defense: 1. Houston 32 25 20 32 - 109 Seattle 22 25 23 30 - 100 A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:11.

This sidebar appeared with the story: Rockets 109, SuperSonics 100 FG FT Reb HOUSTON Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Barkley 41 8-17 9-17 5-15 6 3 26 Elie 30 3-6 2-2 0-2 4 6 10 Olajuwon 37 4-8 1-2 4-10 3 5 9 Drexler 41 7-13 6-6 2-4 4 4 23 Maloney 32 4-7 2-4 0-2 2 1 14 Willis 18 5-10 3-4 1-4 0 2 13 Livingston 17 2-2 2-2 1-2 2 0 6 Bullard 22 3-5 0-0 0-0 3 2 8 Moore 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 Totals 240 36-68 25-37 13-39 24 25 109 Percentages: FG .529, FT .676. 3-Point Goals: 12-25, .480 (Maloney 4-6, Drexler 3-7, Bullard 2-3, Elie 2-4, Barkley 1-5). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 4 (Drexler 2, Olajuwon, Bullard). Turnovers: 17 (Olajuwon 5, Elie 3, Barkley 2, Maloney 2, Drexler, Willis, Livingston, Bullard, Moore). Steals: 10 (Drexler 3, Olajuwon 2, Elie 2, Maloney, Willis, Livingston). Technical fouls: Willis, 9:27 second; Elie, 2:14 second. Illegal defense: 1. FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 42 11-18 6-8 4-10 4 1 28 Schrempf 33 2-8 4-5 2-4 4 5 9 McIlvaine 25 3-7 1-2 5-8 2 5 7 Hawkins 35 3-8 5-5 0-3 2 2 12 Payton 42 6-16 4-6 1-2 5 4 16 Perkins 26 5-10 2-2 1-5 2 3 14 Snow 19 2-3 1-2 1-2 3 3 6 Ehlo 17 3-7 0-0 1-3 0 1 8 Scheffler 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Totals 240 35-77 23-30 15-37 22 24 100 Percentages: FG .455, FT .767. 3-Point Goals: 7-20, .350 (Perkins 2-4, Ehlo 2-4, Snow 1-1, Schrempf 1-2, Hawkins 1-4, Kemp 0-1, Payton 0-4). Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked shots: 5 (Kemp 4, McIlvaine). Turnovers: 16 (Kemp 5, Schrempf 3, Hawkins 3, McIlvaine, Payton, Perkins, Snow, Ehlo). Steals: 10 (Perkins 3, Hawkins 2, Kemp, McIlvaine, Payton, Snow, Ehlo). Technical fouls: Schrempf, 10:49 third; illegal defense, 6:55 fourth. Illegal defense: 1. Houston 32 25 20 32 - 109 Seattle 22 25 23 30 - 100 A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:11.